AN ATTEMPT by Liberal Democrats in Surrey Heath to sway the thinking of Conservative councillors on the future of skateboarding in the borough has failed.

Cllr Bob Smith refuted Conservatives’ claims that the popularity of the sport was in decline and believed Surrey Heath Borough Council missed an opportunity to devote long term support to young people’s needs.

But his criticism of the council’s decision — made at a meeting of the executive committee in early September — fell on deaf ears.

At a meeting of the leisure and environment select committee on Thursday, councillors instead voted along party lines and threw out a call-in motion that questioned the thinking behind the decision not to fund future investment in skateboarding, BMX cycling and in-line skating.

Cllr Smith was joined by other Lib Dem speakers in presenting evidence of demand for and in support of skateboarding facilities.

Surrey Police’s youth affairs officer, Pc Julian Crabbe and Sgt Paul Blomfield were asked to give evidence along with heads of leisure facilities at both neighbouring Hart and Rushmoor councils.

And Collingwood College pupil Richard Millington was present after previously handing to the council a 300-signature petition asking for more skateboarding facilities in Lightwater.

Each of those asked to give evidence, Cllr Smith said, showed that skateboarding was “as popular as ever”.

Cllr Smith’s call-in followed the meeting of the executive on September 5 at which he claimed evidence presented that showed a supposed decline in skateboarding was merely “anecdotal”.

He said their initial decision should not be based on a report that had taken 18 months to prepare and challenged members of the executive committee to let the Lib Dems find out the current demand for facilities.

But after research and despite the witnesses called to last week’s meeting, leader of the council, Cllr Moira Gibson, remained unconvinced of the demand.

And, at a time of significant budget pressure on the council, said she was still not prepared to consider devoting additional resources to skateboarding.

Cllr Smith said: “The Conservative councillors have ignored an opportunity to develop a popular activity that enhances skill and fitness levels and they have done it on the basis of anecdotal information which we have convincingly demonstrated is incorrect.”

He added that a document, which was referred to by Cllr Gibson to further her case, was not presented to the meeting and would be called for under the Freedom of Information Act.

“It was a very poor meeting,” he said. “Firstly to base a decision on a document not presented to the committee is not on — open government is not optional.

“I don’t think the matter was handled well at all and I am extremely disheartened by the result.

“They have ignored an opportunity to not even plan for the provision of skateboarding, they have just ruled it out.”